Bartenders Behind the Pride Menu

To continue the celebrations, we asked the team about their Pride cocktail creations: what inspired them, who their role models are, and how best to enjoy them around the course.

Charlie Stoop, Bar Captain

Creator of the 👑 Queen Bee cocktail at Swingers NoMad, Charlie pairs Absolut Vanil with honey and lavender, including vanilla notes, to create a marzipan mouthfeel that’s brightened by yellow citrus and refreshing mint. 

Q – What inspired your cocktail creation?

A – I started with a classic Bees Knees wanted to jazz it up for summer. The addition of mint and lavender really takes the cocktail out to the garden and creates a bright and sweet experience.

Q – Three words to describe your cocktail, go:

A – Floral, Sweet, Crisp 

Q – How are you celebrating Pride this June and throughout the year? 

A – I’m always trying to exemplify pride year-round and not just in June. I’m out, proud, and unapologetic about that. I strive to be my authentic self and, as a leader, encourage others to do the same. We are all at our best if we are true to ourselves and live authentically.  I’m a Broadway gal, so the Tony Awards are my fave.  But you’ll also catch me at the parade and parties all around the city! 

Q – Where is your cocktail best enjoyed – on the course or at the bar?

A – My cocktail is great on the course. The herbaceous elements really make you feel like you’re out enjoying a summer day. 

Q – If you had the chance to enjoy your cocktail with anyone in the world, who would it be? 

A – You’ll catch me sharing my cocktail on the beach with Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey. 

Pairing – This cocktail is best paired with chicken nachos. The sweetness really helps balance out the spicy jalapeños and salsa.

Angie Perez, Bartender

Creator of the 🍐 Perfect Pear cocktail at Swingers NoMad, Angie pairs Absolut Pear with floral elderflower, hibiscus and a cooling mint finish to celebrate love, diversity, and happiness.

Q – What inspired your cocktail creation?

A – I wanted to create a cocktail that celebrates the vibrant spirit of pride month and the beginning of summer.

Q – Three words to describe your cocktail, go:

A – Juicy, Fruity and Refreshing

Q – How are you celebrating Pride this June and throughout the year? 

A – I’ll be celebrating Pride this June in NYC and spending time with my friends.

Q – Where is your cocktail best enjoyed – on the course or at the bar?

A – You can enjoy it at both!

Q – If you had the chance to enjoy your cocktail with anyone in the world, who would it be? 

A – My best-friend Hector.

Pairing – This cocktail is best paired with Zia fries.

Jacob Diaz, Bartender 

Creator of the 🌴 Paradise Punch cocktail at Swingers Dupont Circle, Jacob pairs Absolut Citron with exotic spices, bright citrus and tropical passionfruit to create a velvety harmony the iconic Prince would be proud of. 

Q – What inspired your cocktail creation?

A – Pride cocktails are typically passion fruit dominant and I really love passion fruit. Once I heard that we were partnering with Absolut Rainbow, I developed the recipe from there. I wanted to make a tiki-like cocktail that reminded me of sitting on the beach.

Q – Three words to describe your cocktail, go:

A – Tropical, Tart, Crushable

Q – How are you celebrating Pride this June and throughout the year? 

A – One of my goals is to be a better ally this year.

Q – Where is your cocktail best enjoyed – on the course or at the bar?

A – The course all the way!

Q – If you had the chance to enjoy your cocktail with anyone in the world, who would it be? 

A – Bob Marley

Pairing – This cocktail is best paired with our empanadas.

Iris Franco, Bar Captain 

Creator of the 🍉 Watermelon Sugar cocktail at Swingers NoMad, Iris pairs Absolut Watermelon with Thai basil and zippy ginger to recreate one of her favorite memories in the summertime, Jolly Rancher ice pops. 

Q – What inspired your cocktail creation?

A – Reminds me of just being a kid in the summer enjoying Jolly Rancher ice pops and figuring myself out. 

Q – Three words to describe your cocktail, go:

A – Fruity, Refreshing and Delicious

Q – How are you celebrating Pride this June and throughout the year? 

A – I’m celebrating Pride with my wife!

Q – Where is your cocktail best enjoyed – on the course or at the bar?

A – I would say that it’s best enjoyed on the course.

Q – If you had the chance to enjoy your cocktail with anyone in the world, who would it be? 

A – I would love to enjoy this cocktail with my sister. She is not only super supportive but also my wife’s bestie.

Pairing – This cocktail would go well with some nachos!

Dyllon Leather, Bar Back

Creator of the 🍑 Peaches & Cream cocktail at Swingers NoMad, Dyllon pairs Absolut Peach with tropical notes of coconut, warm hints of vanilla and crisp yellow citrus to create Pride in the summertime. 

Q – What inspired your cocktail creation?

A – I had a dream that I was on the back of a yacht in Belize, and I looked across the deck to see that somebody had left behind a fresh bowl of peaches & cream. I thought to myself, “Can I drink this?” and the inspiration hit.

Q – Three words to describe your cocktail, go:

A – Fruity, Juicy, and Smooth

Q – How are you celebrating Pride this June and throughout the year? 

A – This year I want to build more relationships within the queer community & be involved with more activism efforts throughout the city.

Q – Where is your cocktail best enjoyed – on the course or at the bar?

A – It is enjoyed everywhere in Swingers NoMad!

Q – If you had the chance to enjoy your cocktail with anyone in the world, who would it be? 

A – That’s easy—Nicole Paige Brooks from Atlanta, Georgia! Or like my mom or something.

Pairing – This cocktail is best paired with the humble and always reliable Vodka Pizza Slice. 

Jess Fitzmeyer, Bar Manager

Creator of the 🫚 Ginger Spice, 🍨 Anything But Vanilla and 🐝 Queen Bee cocktails at Swingers Dupont Circle, Jess utilizes Absolut Citron, Absolut Vanil, and Absolut Blue to create recipes that nod to Pride in the Capital City.

Q – What inspired the Ginger Spice and Anything But Vanilla cocktails?

A – With the Ginger Spice, I wanted to create something that embodied the bright, slightly spicy spirit of Pride Week.

For Anything But Vanilla, who doesn’t love a pornstar…martini?  This was a twist on a classic. The classic Pornstar Martini is a vanilla, passionfruit martini served with a shot of bubbles on the side. I wanted to make this classic a bit easier to carry around the course. 

Q – Three words to describe the Queen Bee cocktail, go:

A – Warm, Classic, Herbaceous

Q – How are you celebrating Pride this June and throughout the year? 

A – Celebrating Pride throughout the year is about acceptance and understanding. I plan on celebrating Pride this June by continuing to share that love is love and rainy days always end with a rainbow. 

Quick fire: Where are your cocktails best enjoyed – on the course or at the bar?  

Ginger Spice: This cocktail is best enjoyed while showing off your fabulous golf skills on the course. 

Anything But Vanilla: This one was made for tee time!   

Queen Bee: This is absolutely the perfect cocktail to enjoy at the bar, taking your “thyme” to enjoy. 

Quick fire: If you had the chance to enjoy your cocktails with anyone in the world, who would it be?  

There’s no one I’d rather enjoy this cocktail with than one of my best friends, Scurry. He started as my barback, became an incredible bartender, and remains one of my closest friends.

Quick fire: Your cocktails are best paired with…

Ginger Spice: Fried Chicken Sandwich

Anything But Vanilla: BBQ Chicken Pizza (heat with sweet)

Queen Bee: The Godfather pizza

Like the sound of these cocktails? Book a mini golf session at our venues in Dupont Circle and NoMad, and you can sip them on the greens during the month of June.